1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable beverage carriers, and more particularly pertains to a portable beverage carrier for transporting standard beverage containers on a bicycle. The conventional form of bicycle beverage carrier consists of a bicycle frame mounted wire rack dimensioned to frictionally engage an inserted plastic bottle. These conventional bicycle beverage carriers are uninsulated and are thus incapable of maintaining a beverage cold. Additionally, these conventional plastic bicycle beverage bottles tend to add a plastic flavor to water transported therein. Because the plastic bottles are unsealed, there is a risk of contaminating the bottle contents, as the bottles are typically left on the bicycle for protracted periods. In order to overcome these problems, the present invention provides an easily installed insulated carrier which utilizes a refreezable gel refrigerant to store conventional beverage containers in a chilled environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of portable beverage carriers are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a portable beverage carrier is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,485,067, which issued to L. Bristol on Feb. 26, 1924. This patent discloses a balanced bag adapted for securement over the horizontal top frame portion of a bicycle. A pair of strap members are provided for engagement with the seat tube and lower frame tube of the bicycle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,429, which issued to J. Purcell Jr. et al on June 26, 1973, discloses a bicycle canteen having a rigid structure resembling a motorcycle fuel tank and provided with hose type clamps for securement on a bicycle frame tube. U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,407, which issued to D. Gibson on May 12, 1981, discloses a portable cooler formed from two molded insulating storage container halves, having matching indentations for receiving a number of beverage containers. The halves close over the containers, bringing a previously refrigerated removable cold pack into contact with the enclosed containers. The joint halves are removably received within a fabric carrier adapted for securement on the belt of an individual. U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,345, which issued to L. Atkinson on Oct. 20, 1981, discloses a reusable concave container for carrying and cooling canned beverages having a bottom section containing a plurality of cylindrical compartments and a top section containing corresponding compartments having a slow warming cooling gel in the upper end thereof, and a shoulder strap for carrying the container. U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,721, which issued to K. Shimano on June 7, 1983, discloses a fixture for mounting a water bottle on a bicycle frame which is provided with a pair of skirts which contact lateral side portions of the water bottle.
While the above mentioned devices are directed to portable beverage carriers, none of these devices disclose a portable beverage carrier adapted for mounting on a horizontal top frame tube of a bicYcle which includes a pair of insulated receptacles dimensioned to receive standard beverage containers which are secured at opposite ends of an elongated strap provided with hook and loop fastening members for securement to a bicycle top frame tube. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of portable beverage carriers, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such portable beverage carriers, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.